Department for Transport

Gatwick Airport Station: Bank Cards

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Transport for London, and (2) Network Rail, regarding the use of contactless payment points at Gatwick Airport Railway Station; and whether those discussions were informed by data on the number of people who incur a penalty fare due to not tapping out at the end of their journey.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Contactless pay as you go continues to be offered to customers travelling between Gatwick Airport and London allowing customers to use either a contactless card, mobile device or an Oyster card to pay for their journey. There have been no recent discussions between the Department and Network Rail or Transport for London on the use of contactless payments at Gatwick Airport Railway Station.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many HS2 station platforms are currently planned for its Euston station; how many trains per hour they can accommodate; and what plans they have to release any land no longer required.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As set out in the October 2020 Report to Parliament on HS2, in response to a recommendation from the Oakervee Review about looking into the efficiency of the Euston station, the move to a smaller, simpler 10-platform station design at Euston has now been confirmed. Moving to this revised HS2 Euston station design maintains the station infrastructure capacity to run 17 trains per hour. The space released from the removal of platform 11 will be made available to Network Rail for railway operations and development.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the stability of Parkway Tunnel and of the approach tracks to the Network Rail Euston station during the construction of the HS2 caverns and tunnels directly underneath; and what steps they have taken to guarantee that there will be no disruption to the rail services into and out of the Network Rail Euston station during the construction of these HS2 works.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Network Rail approach lines into Euston, including the Parkway Tunnels are located directly above the HS2 tunnels. Working in partnership with Network Rail, the Parkway Tunnels and Network Rail's railway tracks and systems have been the subject of Ground Movement Assessments by the HS2 Main Works Civils Contractor. The output of this assessment is currently being reviewed. The design of the HS2 tunnels is being refined to minimise ground movement and settlement mitigation measures are being developed that will be compatible with the operation of the existing railway. The tunnelling is undertaken incrementally in small stages, which limits risk and means any settlement occurs in small stages allowing the existing railway infrastructure to be adjusted, as necessary.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest design for the HS2 tracks and approach tunnels for Euston station.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The HS2 infrastructure forming the approaches to Euston station consists of (from south to north): a portal structure leading to three sprayed concrete lined tunnels (two Up Line tunnels either side of a single Down Line tunnel). The two Up Lines converge into a sprayed concrete lined cavern and then merge into a single bored tunnel. The Down Line passes underneath one of the Up Line tunnels to merge into a bored tunnel adjacent to the cavern. A sprayed concrete lined crosscut tunnel, perpendicular to the running tunnels is constructed from a shaft adjacent to Park Village East to facilitate construction of the cavern and provide a permanent intervention facility.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Energy: Billing

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the article by the Joseph Rowntree FoundationNew measures won't protect poorest families from new energy price cap, published on 3 February; and in particular, the finding that "single adult households on low incomes will spend a shocking 43 per cent on average of their income after housing costs on energy bills".

Lord Callanan: The Government is providing a package of support worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23 which includes a £150 Council Tax rebate for bands A-D, £144 million discretionary funding for local authorities and a £200 energy bill reduction which will help over 28 million households. This is in addition to the support Government will continue to provide through the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which this winter is providing over 2 million households a £140 rebate off their energy bill. The Government has announced that it would be increasing to £150 and help an extra 780,000 households next winter. Further, Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments help ensure the most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.

Fossil Fuels

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount of (1) North Sea (a) oil, and (b) gas, and (2) shale gas, in the UK; and under what circumstances they would exploit such resources.

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential of shale gas as a domestic energy source.

Lord Callanan: According to data published by the Oil and Gas Authority in 2021 (based on 2020 data) and set out on the North Sea Transition Authority’s website, oil reserves and resources in the UK Continental Shelf stand at 7.9 billion barrels of oil equivalent, as well as 560 billion cubic metres of gas, based on ‘probable’, ‘proven’ and ‘contingent’ reserves and resources. It is not possible to say with certainty how much of this could or will be extracted, as this will be driven by a range of commercial and regulatory factors, however UK oil and gas production is expected to decline over time in line with the natural decline of the UK Continental Shelf basin coupled with a decrease in domestic demand for natural gas. The Oil and Gas Authority has published a report titled “UK Oil and Gas Reserves and Resources Report 2021” on their website which includes further information on UK reserves and resources. As set out on the British Geological Society’s website, estimates of the total gas-in-place for the Bowland Shale Formation and Hodder Mudstone Formation vary. Initial estimates were between 822 and 2281 trillion cubic feet (tcf). However, other estimates have suggested the total gas-in-place volume could be considerably less, around 140 tcf. The Government has been clear that shale gas development must be safe and sustainable – both for local communities and the environment. On the basis of the current scientific evidence, the Government has confirmed that it will take a presumption against issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents, which are required before hydraulic fracturing operations can take place. Even if the current moratorium were lifted, development would also need to secure environmental permitting and planning consents, and it would take some years of exploration and development before commercial quantities of gas could be produced.

Home Upgrade Grant

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support local authorities who are not included in the initial 22 authorities receiving £67m in the first phase of the Home Upgrade Grant.

Lord Callanan: £1.1 billion has been allocated to the Home Upgrade Grant since 2020. This £67 million was an extension of £152 million allocated to successful local authorities under the Sustainable Warmth competition, bringing the first phase of HUG to a total of £219 million. BEIS are working across government and with key stakeholders to decide the final policy scope and delivery approach for future funding iterations until 2025.

Official Receiver: Compensation

Lord Leigh of Hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many payments the Insolvency Service has made under its official receiver compensation scheme in each year for which this information is available; and what is the total value of these payments in each year.

Lord Callanan: Payments made to estates for losses caused by an Official Receiver since 2018 are as follows: YearTotal number of paymentsTotal amount paid out (£)2021-22 (to end Feb)1412,7382020-21613,1272019-2052,3762018-1952,856

Natural Gas: Prices

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of rising global gas prices on achieving their Net Zero targets; and what steps they will take to mitigate this impact.

Lord Callanan: The energy transition is not only an issue of decarbonisation, it is also an issue of national security. The Government’s strategy to generate more low-carbon energy in the UK will reduce reliance on imported gas, shield consumers from volatile international fossil fuel markets, and provide new opportunities to level up the economy and drive job creation. By accelerating the deployment of cheap renewable power, and rolling out further energy efficiency measures, the Government’s decarbonisation policies will help household energy bills by ensuring that consumers are less exposed to international fossil fuel prices while driving progress towards its Net Zero targets. As the Government produces more domestically sourced energy, families will be much better protected from energy price spikes caused by volatile international fossil fuel markets. At the same time, by getting ahead of the curve in driving down the costs of the latest clean technology, more consumers will enjoy more efficient cars and heating systems sooner.

Housing: Solar Power

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reintroduce the Feed-In Tariff for homeowners investing in solar panels.

Lord Callanan: There are no plans to reintroduce the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme, which closed to new applications in March 2019. With residential solar panels now over 50% cheaper than in 2011, and as costs fall, it is right that the Government move on from dependence on generous subsidies, that are ultimately levied onto customers. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) which came into force in January 2020, follows on from the FIT, and gives small- scale low-carbon electricity generators, such as homes with solar panels, the right to be paid for the renewable electricity they export to the grid. The SEG is a market-driven mechanism designed to pave the way to projects being deployed without subsidies. It reflects the government’s continued commitment to ensuring that low carbon electricity, whether at household level or national level,  is central to the transition to the smart and flexible energy systems of the future.

Natural Gas: Russia

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the UK's reliance on Russian gas.

Lord Callanan: The UK is not dependent on Russia for its gas, with no direct pipeline. In 2021, less than 4% of UK demand for gas came from Russian, via liquified natural gas (LNG).

Bitcoin

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many companies listing Bitcoin mining as their main business are registered at Companies House.

Lord Callanan: Companies House are unable to provide this information as the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes used for the purposes of describing a company’s business activity does not include a code for “bitcoin mining”.

Innovation: Regional Planning and Development

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government why their Levelling Up the United Kingdom white paper, published on 2 February, includes the creation of three “innovation accelerators” in England and Scotland, but none in Wales; and what assessment they made of levels of past spending on research and development in the nations of the UK when they made this decision.

Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to increasing research and innovation capacity across the UK.Innovation Accelerators are a new pilot approach to supporting three UK city regions to become major, globally competitive centres for research and innovation. They will be locally led partnerships involving leaders in local government, business and R&D institutions.The three city regions selected for the pilots demonstrate R&D strengths, robust private and public innovation governance, and strong local leadership which makes them strong candidates for testing this new approach.If the Innovation Accelerator pilots prove successful, we will consider how the lessons learned can be applied to benefit other places in the UK.

Official Receiver: Compensation

Lord Leigh of Hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the Insolvency Service takes to promote the existence of its official receiver compensation scheme to creditors in insolvency procedures, where the official receiver has been appointed as the office holder.

Lord Callanan: There is no formal Official Receiver compensation scheme. If an Official Receiver believes that their actions have caused a loss to an insolvency estate, they will seek a payment from the Insolvency Service to compensate that estate.

Productivity

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the current levels of productivity in the UK.

Lord Callanan: According to the latest ONS data available, in 2021 Q3 UK labour productivity measured by output per hour worked was 0.7% higher than in 2019 Q4.

Productivity

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the UK’s comparative productivity level when compared to each member of (1) the G7 and (2) the G20.

Lord Callanan: The ONS do not produce estimates of labour productivity levels for other G20 countries.

Productivity

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the additional capacity necessary to analyse the present levels of productivity in the UK.

Lord Callanan: The Government has recently expanded its funding for research into productivity by £37 million, including a new Productivity Institute headquartered in Manchester Business School.

Department of Health and Social Care

Immunosuppression: Coronavirus

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish updated and detailed (1) guidance, and (2) communications, to people who are immunocompromised in light of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Lord Kamall: On 25 February 2022, the Government issued Guidance for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 in an online only format. This provides guidance for those whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 to reduce the risks of exposure to the virus. Enhanced protections such as those offered by treatments, additional vaccinations and other non-clinical interventions may benefit this cohort. The Government continues to review the public health advice provided to those who are immunocompromised.

Osteoporosis: Waiting Lists

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theadequacy of waiting times for access to a DXA bone density scan.

Lord Kamall: No formal assessment has been made. However, NHS England’s data as of January 2022 shows that 36.3% of patients waiting for DEXA scans have been waiting more than six weeks.

Inivos: Protective Clothing

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall on 10 February (HL5960), what criteria they use to assess whether information is commercially sensitive; and what was the outcome of the technical review of Inivos gowns.

Lord Kamall: The contract is considered commercially sensitive as disclosure would be likely to prejudice a company’s commercial interests and inhibit its ability to do business in the future.Therefore, we are unable to disclose the outcome of the technical regulatory assurance process.

Department for Education

Higher Education: Fees and Charges

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reduce fees for (1) university students whose courses will be predominantly online, and (2) former university students whose courses were moved online, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Barran: The unprecedented and unique nature of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes to the way higher education (HE) providers delivered their teaching. However, online learning should only be offered to enhance the student experience, not to detract from it, and it should not be used as a cost-cutting measure.The department has written to all English HE providers, making clear that we expect them to offer a high-quality face-to-face student experience. This year, my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Higher and Further Education, has spoken with leaders of a number of universities regarding concerns about their face-to-face teaching provision, to ensure they are offering students the amount of in-person teaching they expect.As autonomous institutions, it is for HE providers to determine their own provision, including their learning approach, taking account of any government guidance. HE providers have delivered new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Some providers continue to use some of these approaches alongside in-person provision. However, online learning should only be offered to enhance the student experience, not to detract from it, and it should not be used as a cost-cutting measure.The Office for Students is clear that all HE providers must comply with registration conditions relating to quality and standards regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through in-person teaching, remote online learning, or a combination of both. It will act where this is not the case, and may impose sanctions if there has been a breach of registration conditions.If students and former students have concerns about the delivery of their university courses, they should first follow their university’s internal complaints procedure. If their concerns remain unresolved, students in England and Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint. Recommendations can include practical remedies as well as financial compensation, where that is deemed appropriate.

Special Educational Needs: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) due to havingmyalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

Baroness Barran: The department does not hold data on the number of children who have an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) due to having myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).The department does publish information on the number of EHCPs held by school pupils by type of need, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/ad01069e-f490-4855-9b2c-7f784a98758d. However, this does not include data on ME specifically.

Education: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to (1) children, and (2) young people, in full-time education who havemyalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

Baroness Barran: The department is committed to supporting pupils with medical conditions at school to ensure they have full access to education.In 2014, the government introduced a new duty on schools to support all pupils with medical conditions. It published statutory guidance on this, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.The guidance does not specify which medical conditions should be supported in schools. Instead, it focuses on how to meet the needs of each individual child, and on how their medical condition impacts their school life.Schools also have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments and to not discriminate against disabled children, including those with long-term health conditions, in relation to their education and associated services. Schools must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures, and policies to ensure that they are not putting those with long-term health problems at a substantial disadvantage.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

World Health Organization

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Health Workforce Support and Safeguard List will be updated; and what discussions, if any, they have had with the WHO about this.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The World Health Organisation have confirmed that they will be preparing a 2022 update of their Health Workforce Support and Safeguard list for publication in early 2023, alongside their regular reporting on their Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. The UK will participate in their first Member State consultation on this update later this month.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 March (HL6312), what assessmentthey have made of the disappearance of Armenian Khachkars from the Nakhichevan.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 March (HL6312),what attempts they have made to document the destruction of Armenian historical sites in Nakhichevan.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 March (HL6312),what assessment they have made of the (1) future, and (2) safety, of Armenian historical sites in Azerbaijan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The protection of cultural heritage affected by conflict and the prevention of acts of destruction are priorities for the United Kingdom. We are aware of allegations from both Armenia and Azerbaijan that cultural and religious sites have been deliberately damaged during long-standing conflict between the two nations. Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, the UK has engaged with the governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan on this issue. We reiterate our call on all parties to respect all the cultures and religions of the region. We hope the deployment of UNESCO missions to both countries will be agreed and take place soon - this will be an important step in documenting any damage to cultural heritage sites and building trust between the two sides. We will continue to monitor allegations of the destruction of cultural heritage sites carefully.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 March (HL6312), what assessment they have made as to whether theprocess of Albanization is occurring in relation to (1) churches, and (2) monasteries, in (a) Nagorno-Karabakh, and (b) the surrounding regions, retaken by Azerbaijan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The protection of cultural heritage affected by conflict and the prevention of acts of destruction are priorities for the United Kingdom. We are aware of allegations from both Armenia and Azerbaijan that cultural and religious sites have been deliberately damaged during long-standing conflict between the two nations. Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, the UK has engaged with the governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan on this issue. We reiterate our call on all parties to respect all the cultures and religions of the region. We hope the deployment of UNESCO missions to both countries will be agreed and take place soon - this will be an important step in documenting any damage to cultural heritage sites and building trust between the two sides. We will continue to monitor allegations of the destruction of cultural heritage sites carefully.

Tunisia: Politics and Government

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the freedom of democratic (1) expression, and (2) practice, in Tunisia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has closely monitored the political situation in Tunisia since the changes brought in by President Kais Saied on 25 July 2021, and we will continue to do so. Tunisia faces many economic and political challenges that can only be effectively addressed through democratic engagement, transparency, the protection of human rights, and free speech. The UK has expressed its views regarding the political situation, bilaterally and through statements on behalf of G7 Ambassadors. The most recent joint statement was on 8 February, conveying concerns about the decision to dissolve Tunisia's Supreme Judicial Council: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supreme-judicial-court-in-tunisia-ambassadors-joint-statement-8-february-2022We engage regularly with Government leaders in the country, most recently on 1 March when the British Ambassador to Tunisia called on Prime Minister Najla Bouden.

Tunisia: Foreign Relations

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of relations between the UK and Tunisia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to our close bilateral relationship with Tunisia. UK engagement with the Tunisian Government covers a wide range of issues, as reflected under the framework of the bilateral Association Agreement, which came into effect on 1 January 2021. We share ambitions to build on our close bilateral partnership, whether related to economic ties, trade partnership, education, taking action on climate change or tackling the threats we each face from terrorism. Her Majesty's Government, including the British Council, is in regular dialogue with the Government of Tunisia.

Tunisia: Counter-terrorism

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role, if any, of Tunisia in resisting terrorism along theNorth African Mediterranean littoral.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: A stable, democratic and prosperous Tunisia is a keystone to resisting terrorism along the North African Mediterranean littoral. The Tunisian authorities have made a great deal of progress, supported by international partners including the UK, in countering the threat from terrorism since the Sousse and Bardot attacks of 2015. But the threat remains, as set out in the UK's travel advice for Tunisia, and members of the Tunisian public and security forces have continued to pay a heavy price, losing lives and livelihoods to terrorism. It is vital that we continue to work together to address the shared challenges of terrorism and extremism, and to support progress towards an open, equitable and just Tunisia which delivers the public services and economic opportunities Tunisians want and deserve.

Tigray: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the situation in Tigray in (1) the UN Security Council, (2) the UN General Assembly, and (3) the UN Human Rights Council; and what action, if any, is being taken as a result.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: At the UN Security Council on 28 January, the UK called on all parties to the conflict in Ethiopia to come to the negotiating table, and uphold their duty to protect civilians in accordance with their international legal obligations. Since the start of hostilities in November 2020 the UK has urged all sides to enable humanitarian agencies to deliver life-saving aid. In January this year the Minister for Africa travelled to Addis Ababa to meet the Ethiopian Government and argued robustly for immediate and unfettered humanitarian access to Tigray. The Minister for Africa met with Ethiopia's Minister for Health, who committed to increasing the number of humanitarian flights reaching Tigray. Since this meeting there has been an increase in humanitarian flights principally carrying medical aid: over 95 metric tons of aid reached Mekelle by air during the period 14 - 19 March, for example. While we welcome efforts to improve air access, there has been almost no humanitarian access to Tigray by road since December 2021. 500 trucks per week are needed to meet the level of need in the region, and as a result of the lack of road access at least 400,000 people in the region are experiencing famine conditions.At a Special Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on 17 December 2021, the UK supported and voted in favour of an EU-led resolution on Ethiopia which created an International Commission of Experts to investigate human rights abuses and violations committed during the conflict. The UK made a statement at the Interactive Dialogue on Tigray at the HRC on 4 March.

Ministry of Defence

Defence: Expenditure

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase defence spending.

Baroness Goldie: The Government is clear that Defence should be led by our understanding of the threats it needs to counter. As such the Ministry of Defence keeps its spending under constant review and is analysing the implications of the increased threat that Russia now poses. Defence is coming into its second year of its four-year spending settlement, in which it has already secured an additional 16.5 billion of funding over the Spending Review period, marking the biggest investment in the Armed Forces since the Cold War.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Grouse Moors: Controlled Burning

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the press release by the RSPB RSPB records peatland fires on grouse moors in supposedly protected areas, published on 9 March; and in particular the finding that 82 per cent of reported fires on what is believed to be peatland were on supposedly protected landscapes.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Anyone wishing to burn vegetation on deep peat (peat that is deeper than 40cms), within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and either a Special Area of Conservation or Special Protection Area needs a licence, granted by the Secretary of State.We have published guidance to support the Regulations, which sets out the very limited circumstances where burning on deep peat will be seen as a permissible activity and a legitimate land management practice, conducted in the right place for the right reasons.Where an organisation or member of the public believes that burning has been carried out illegally and notifies Natural England, its Enforcement Team will check the locations against records of protected sites and environmental data and carry out investigatory site visits as required. Supported by Defra, Natural England investigates cases where a breach of consent or regulation is suspected according to their published compliance and enforcement position.

Pets: Animal Welfare

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to seek to progress legislation to make provision about the welfare of certain kept animals that are in, imported into, or exported from Great Britain, in (1) the current, and (2) the next, parliamentary session.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In May 2021 we published the Action Plan for Animal Welfare, which sets out the Government's ambitious programme of legislative and non-legislative measures to further improve our high standards of animal welfare. As a key part of delivering this plan, we introduced the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill in June 2021. The Bill provides enhanced protections for pet, farmed and kept wild animals in Great Britain.The Bill completed Commons Committee Stage in November. Since introduction, the Government has added a new pet abduction offence to the bill and extended the primates measure to Wales. We have also consulted on the use of powers in the Bill to tackle puppy smuggling. The Government is committed to this Bill and it will progress in its current form as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Air Pollution

Lord Tope: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 6 December 2021 (HL4318), when they plan to conduct consultations on measuresto control air pollution from (1) small combustion plants, and (2) non-road mobile machinery.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: (1) As set out in the Clean Air Strategy, we are considering closing the regulatory gap between the current Ecodesign and Medium Combustion Plant regulations to tackle emissions from plants in the 500kW to 1MW thermal input range. Alongside this we are considering the case for tighter emissions standards for medium combustion plants and generators. We are continuing to assess the evidence and develop policy options in these areas. A consultation will be conducted in due course.(2) Defra recently completed a research project to improve the evidence base on emissions from non-road mobile machinery. We are addressing some remaining evidence gaps. We are considering policy options and will consult with stakeholders and the public as appropriate in due course.

Dairy Farming: Animal Welfare

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of report by Panorama into animal abuse and neglect on dairy farms; and what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure stronger enforcement of animal welfare legislation.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation: The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal; and The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 set down detailed requirements on how farmed livestock, including dairy cattle, must be kept. Potential breaches of animal health and welfare legislation are taken very seriously indeed. Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) inspectors and local authorities conduct inspections on-farm to ensure compliance with the law and with the relevant statutory farm animal welfare code. Appropriate action is taken against anyone who breaks the law when non-compliances are disclosed. This may include a follow-up, unannounced, inspection by APHA at a later date to confirm compliance. The local authority, as the appropriate enforcement agency, may initiate prosecution action for animal welfare offences where there is sufficient evidence.

Home Office

Visas: Ukraine

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what date someone fleeing the war in Ukraine who is seeking a Seasonal Worker visa to come to the UK must have had their application submitted for (1) poultry work, (2) pork butchery work, and (3) driving Heavy Goods Vehicles.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Seasonal Worker route is not open to any nationality wishing to take employment as a poultry worker, driving heavy goods vehicles, or as a pork butcher. These occupations were included within this route as a temporary concession – unrelated to the current events in Ukraine – that closed to new applications on 15 November 2021, 1 December 2021, and 31 December 2021 respectively. However, any Ukrainians in the UK under the Seasonal Worker route, are able to have their visa extended until 31 December 2022. More information on flexibility for Ukrainian nationals can be found on gov.uk.The Seasonal Worker route remains open to all nationalities, including Ukrainian nationals, wishing to take up work in the horticulture sector.

Migrant Workers: Fisheries

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many visas were granted to non-EEA fishermen who operate on UK-owned vessels out of UK fishing ports (1) in each of the six years from 1 April 2015 to31 March 2021, and (2) from 1 April 2021 to 31 January.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Visa: Ukraine

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to waive visas requirements for Ukrainians fleeing war.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Russia’s assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign, democratic state. We stand with Ukraine. We have already made changes to the immigration system, to support British Nationals, and those settled in the UK, and their families in Ukraine Visas are an important security tool. There is a risk that hostile actors or other individuals with links to serious and organised crime or corruption could exploit the arrangement to travel to the UK undetected if security checks are not in place. Similarly, our visa process allows safeguarding checks to be undertaken to protect vulnerable people who will be travelling to the UK. Due to Russia’s invasion, there are no direct travel routes from Ukraine to the UK. The safest route for people to leave Ukraine is via neighbouring countries to the West. From the safety of these countries, those escaping the war can benefit from the support we have already announced to reunite with UK-based family, or should they otherwise wish to travel to the UK. The UK Government has an extensive visa application centre (VAC) network in neighbouring countries. Ukrainians safely in these countries can access these services and apply for visas, including the new family scheme. Capacity in those VACs has been extended and a fully online process for those with a valid Ukrainian passport has been implemented.

Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the effectiveness of plans under the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill to require Russian oligarchs to declare their identity details upon (1) sale, or (2) transfer, of any UK assets.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: In relation to property, the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill provides for a new register which will require overseas companies owning or buying property in the UK to give information about their true owners to Companies House. This will provide more information for law enforcement to help them to track down those using UK property as a money laundering vehicle. The Government took the measures relating to the Register of Overseas Entities through pre-legislative scrutiny. Since then, we have been able to improve the legislation to reflect the pre-legislative scrutiny committee’s recommendations and to align it with the broader reforms we have subsequently announced of Companies House; the legislation will be more effective as a result. This has been essential to ensuring the new requirements are workable, proportionate and that the register strikes the right balance between improving transparency and minimising burdens on legitimate commercial activity. The legislation will level the playing field with property owned by UK companies, who already need to disclose their beneficial owners to Companies House. This is a novel approach, setting a new global standard for transparency.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Refugees: Ukraine

Lord Leigh of Hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those citizens who offer to share their homes with Ukrainian refugees as guests will continue to receive full cover from their home insurance policies, including any public liability claims which may arise; and what discussions they have held with insurance companies to implement any such plans.

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Ukrainians entering the country through the proposed Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine will (1) be protected by existing refugee safeguarding policies, (2) have the right to seek employment, and (3) be eligible to claim free healthcare, dentistry and social security benefits.

Lord Greenhalgh: Further to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, details of the sponsorship scheme for Ukraine will be set out in due course.Hansard (pdf, 203.6KB)

Planning: Reform

Baroness Redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that planning reforms are implemented with due regard for (1) the needs of employers, local economies and the skills system; and (2) the levelling up agenda.

Lord Greenhalgh: As we made clear through the Levelling-Up White Paper, reform of the planning system can play an important role in supporting local economies, spreading prosperity, and regenerating left-behind places. It made a number of specific commitments including reform of compulsory purchase, employment land policy and infrastructure planning. An announcement on planning reform more widely will be made in due course, including the timing and scope of any legislation required.

Treasury

National Income

Lord Hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the change in UK GDP since December 2019; and what assessment they have made of how this compares to (1) the US, (2) France, and (3) Canada, in the same period.

Baroness Penn: According to data from the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS), the change in real GDP from the three months to December 2019 to the three months to December 2021 (the latest available quarterly data) was -0.4%. This leaves the UK in the middle of the pack compared to other G7. The below table depicts this using publicly available data in the same period for real GDP in the rest of the G7. 3m to Dec 2021 relative to 3m to Dec 2019Real GDP change (%)US3.2France0.9Canada0.1Italy-0.3UK-0.4Japan-0.4Germany-1.1However, the ONS has also advised that it is difficult to compare real GDP during the pandemic, due to differences in measurement of output in health and education. The ONS has noted that estimates of nominal GDP are more comparable. In nominal GDP terms, for the same period the UK is ranked 3rd compared to others in the G7 (see the below table). 3m to Dec 2021 relative to 3m to Dec 2019Nominal GDP change (%)US10.7Canada10.7UK4.9France4.3Germany4.3Italy0.9Japan-1.7

Cost of Living

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what fiscal steps they plan to take to help reduce theimpact on households of the rise in the cost of living.

Baroness Penn: The Government recognises the challenge that many are facing with the cost of living and is monitoring the situation closely. It is providing support worth over £20 billion across this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills. The Government’s Plan for Jobs is also helping people into work and giving them the skills they need to progress. We are building on the success of the Plan for Jobs, investing more than £6 billion on labour market support over three years. In addition to this, we are increasing the National Living Wage (NLW) by 6.6% to £9.50 in April 2022 for those aged 23 and over, which will mean a full-time worker on the NLW will see an increase in their earnings of over £1,000 a year.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Streaming: Standards

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their response to their consultation on Audience Protection Standards on Video-on-Demand Services, which closed on 26 October 2021.

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tointroduce a requirement for Video-on-Demand Services (1) to display British Board of Film Classification age ratings for film and TV content, and (2) to prohibit the use of age ratings from other jurisdictions which do not align with UK cultural values.

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a requirement that age ratings and content advice for film and TV content must be prominent on Video-on-Demand Services, to ensure parents and families have the benefit of this guidance.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: HM Government launched a consultation in August 2021 to level the playing field between traditional broadcasters and video-on-demand streaming services; to provide a fair competitive framework; and ensure UK viewers are better protected from harmful material.That consultation, which closed in October, examined the role of audience protection measures such as age ratings and content advice. We are now considering the response to the consultation and will publish next steps in due course.

Internet: Safety

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to safeguard people with autism from online harm.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We introduced the Online Safety Bill, which will protect people online, including those with autism, to Parliament on 17 March. Service providers in scope of the legislation will have to ensure that illegal content is removed swiftly and prevent children from harmful or inappropriate content. Major platforms will also need to set out clearly what legal content is acceptable for adult users on their services and enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently.Companies must also ensure that their terms of service are clear and accessible. This will make it much easier for vulnerable adults, including people with autism, or where relevant, their carers, to understand which online services may be most appropriate for their needs.Ofcom will be appointed as the new regulator overseeing the framework. Ofcom’s statutory duty will include a need to consider the vulnerability of individuals whose circumstances appear to put them in need of special protection. They will have enforcement powers available to use against companies which fail their duties, including fines or business disruption measures.

Technology: Data Protection

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to ensure that large technology organisations are complying with regulations on personal data.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: All organisations in the UK which process personal information, whether large or small, have to comply with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. The legislation also applies to organisations based outside the UK which are processing UK residents’ data for the purposes of providing goods and services or monitoring behaviour.The legislation is administered and enforced independently of HM Government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO has a range of enforcement tools to tackle non-compliance, including the power to impose civil monetary penalties of up £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is greater. Details of enforcement action taken by the ICO can be found on its website.

BBC: Finance

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the effect of rising inflation on the funding settlement for the BBC.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The licence fee settlement will provide the BBC with £3.7 billion in annual public funding, allowing it to deliver its mission and public purposes and to continue doing what it does best.Every organisation around the world is facing the challenge of inflation, and these pressures were considered as part of the Government’s discussions with the BBC.We believe this is a fair settlement that strikes the right balance between protecting household budgets and allowing the BBC and S4C to deliver their vital public responsibilities, while encouraging them to make further savings and efficiencies.